New Vibe Man in Town was the name of the first recording by vibraphonist Gary Burton made in 1961. And the competition quickly learned that there was a new vibraphonist on the scene. Of course Lionel Hampton was the patriarch of this instrument, but at that time bopper Milt Jackson ruled. And then came Gary. Not even twenty years old he had already invented a new playing technique. Instead of using two sticks he used four, and all of a sudden one could hear solo chords and polyphone lines of improvisation. The new cat in town was discovered by everyone and Burton appeared on pioneering works of Carla Bley (A Genuine Tong Funeral), Chick Corea (Crystal Silence) and Steve Swallow (Hotel Hello). His own albums which he taped for the ECM-label - accompanied by bass player Eberhard Weber amongst others - are all jewels. Lately Burton often performs in duo-concerts with Japanese pianist Makote Ozone. Ozone, son of a pianist and jazz club owner seems to have subordinated his career to that of Gary Burton. In the meantime the duo has specialized in musical forms of unequalled tenderness and beauty. As can be heard on the album Virtuosi.
